Five ingredients to this AMAZING, creamy, no-cook, old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream! The best part, this chocolate ice cream recipe has no eggs! Keep it basic or get creative with your mix-ins, regardless this is an amazing ice cream. This chocolate ice cream has become one of our favorite ice cream recipes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ One reader raved: “Hi, thank you for this terrific recipe! This ice cream recipe has now made me want to try so many more of your recipes! 😀 ( and I’m not new at ice cream making; this is the best chocolate ice cream I’ve made). Thank you very much.” ~ Terri
Eggless Chocolate Ice Cream
This eggless chocolate ice cream is a year-round favorite in our house—because let’s be honest, ice cream isn’t just for summer! Whether it’s scooped into a bowl, drizzled with my favorite hot fudge, I’ll happily enjoy it any time. (Psst…it just so happens to be my very favorite dessert — hello, hot fudge sundae!!)
You’ll typically find a Mile High Mud Pie in our freezer and a creamy Vanilla Ice Cream tub. And if you love chocolate, try this Ferrero Rocher Ice Cream, and this Bailey’s Ice Cream is a must-try! Both use this chocolate ice cream as a base!
Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe
Everyone needs a couple of basic ice cream recipes, and this one is made in a traditional ice cream maker for that ultra-creamy texture you just can’t get with no-churn. Don’t get me wrong—I love no-churn, but something about churned ice cream is next level. Maybe it’s time for an ice cream block party? Have everyone bring their favorite flavor!
Now, confession time: I’m not a big fan of chocolate ice cream. I know, crazy! But this creamy, rich chocolate ice cream? Totally different story. My family had to hide it from me—kidding… kinda.
Why You Will Love This Chocolate Ice Cream
- ✔ No raw eggs and no cooking required!
- ✔ Only 5 ingredients for an amazing, creamy chocolate flavor.
- ✔ All natural—no sweetened condensed milk.
- ✔ The secret? High-quality cocoa powder makes all the difference! I love Rodelle Cocoa Powder for its deep, rich flavor.
This recipe will change your ice cream game if you’re a chocolate lover!
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe Ingredients
- Heavy Cream: AKA Whipping cream, or heavy whipping cream; just don’t use actual “whipped cream.” I used organic heavy cream, this is the star ingredient–don’t skimp!
- Whole milk: Again, you can use lesser percentages of milk, but you will sacrifice creaminess
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Truly, splurge and use the good stuff here! This is my favorite! I typically use Dutch process cocoa powder.
- Granulated sugar: I use all-natural organic cane sugar, which has a bit of a molasses flavor, but regular white sugar works too.
- Vanilla extract: Go for the good stuff, the quality will shine, Rodelle Vanilla is my go-to brand.
- Sea Salt | A pinch of salt actually brings out the chocolate flavor in the chocolate base
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
That’s it! Were you expecting more? You will notice that there are no egg yolks; this is not a custard base chocolate ice cream recipe, which is dreamy and creamy for sure, but this one gets it on the table faster!
Recommended Tools to Make Chocolate Ice Cream
Heads-Up: Freeze your ice cream bowl at least 24 hours for the best results!
- My new favorite ice cream maker, is the Kitchenaid ice cream attachment that attaches to your stand mixer!
- This Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker is my runner up, 20 minutes to creamy, soft serve ice cream.
- A solid large bowl is a must! I love my Pampered Chef bowl, but this one is a great choice too!
- Silicone Rubber Spatulas come in so handy scraping all the yummy goodness from the bowl.
- I love my glass container with snap lid, but a simple loaf pan works great!
- A top notch ice cream scooper is a must!
- This hand mixer is nice if using natural cane sugar it’s nice to mix your ingredients thoroughly, but a whisk will suffice.
How to Make Chocolate Ice Cream
Step 1 | Make the Chocolate Mixture
Grab your batter bowl and whisk (or use a hand mixer) together milk, cocoa powder, vanilla extract until cocoa powder and sugar are dissolved and combined, about 2 minutes.
Pour in heavy cream, whip or whisk well, another 2-3 minutes until thickened and no sugar granules can be seen. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge.
Be sure to chill your ice cream maker barrel or bowl at least 24 hours ahead of time.
Step 2 | Let it sit
Refrigerate ice cream base for 30 minutes or longer, prior to placing it in the ice cream freezer.
Allowing it to hang out in the fridge will help it freeze faster, greatly improve the creamy texture, AND allow the cocoa powder to get to know the milk and the cream.
Step 3 | Freeze in Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine
Before pouring the ice cream base into the bowl of your ice cream maker, stir it again one last time — a nice gentle stir to ensure everything is mixed well.
Then pour mixture into the freezer bowl, add the ice cream paddle and follow the directions on your ice cream machine. Mine takes about 20 minutes.
Step 4 | Add mix-ins and freeze
If adding mix-ins (see below for ideas), stir them in now, before freezing.
Transfer the ice cream mixture to an airtight container (see tips) or loaf pan and freeze for 6 hours to overnight for best results.
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe Tips
- This ice cream is soft-serve consistency straight from the ice cream maker but firms up after a few hours in the freezer. For scoopable ice cream, freeze overnight.
- I like to chill my container (like a loaf pan) while the ice cream churns.
- Once you’ve transferred the batter, cover tightly with plastic wrap and tuck it in the back of the freezer. The longer it sits, the firmer it gets—soft in the center after a few hours, fully scoopable by the next day.
- For the best texture, make sure your cocoa powder and sugar dissolve completely to avoid grittiness.
- To prevent ice crystals, press a piece of wax paper or parchment paper directly onto the surface before sealing. An airtight container works best—even for store-bought ice cream!
Chocolate Ice Cream FAQs
Ice cream straight from the machine is a soft-serve texture. However; if it’s super soft, it probably means your ice cream freezer wasn’t frozen solid before churning.
Chocolate was one of the first ice cream flavors created before vanilla.
In 1775, Italian doctor Filippo Baldini wrote a treatise entitled De sorbetti, in which he recommended chocolate ice cream as a remedy for various medical conditions, including gout and scurvy. (Source) Gee, I wonder where we got the word Sorbet from!?
The simple answer is yes! You will need to let it sit in the fridge at least 30-40 minutes and make sure that the brown sugar is completely dissolved. It will also lend a bit of a different flavor to the classic chocolate ice cream recipe, a bit more of a molasses flavor.
Yes, it will not be as creamy, but other percentages of milk may be used in making ice cream.
It really depends on personal preference and how much time you want to spend making it! This eggless chocolate ice cream is my favorite—it’s rich, creamy, and comes together quickly. However, custard-based ice creams (made with eggs) create an ultra-smooth, velvety texture that’s hard to beat. The trade-off? Custard takes more time since you have to cook and chill the base before churning. Both have their perks, so it just depends on what you’re looking for in a homemade ice cream!
Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Variations
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream <== click for the recipe!
- Mocha Ice Cream: Add 1 teaspoon Espresso Powder during mixing.
- Mocha Almond Fudge: Add 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder to the batter, then stir in chopped toasted almonds and some swirls of chocolate fudge just before freezing.
- Mint Chocolate Ice Cream: Mix in 1 teaspoon pure mint extract and maybe a handful of chopped Andes mints or chocolate chips.
- Dark Chocolate Ice Cream: Instead of regular cocoa powder, use dark cocoa powder, or try this black cocoa powder for intense cocoa flavor.
- Fudge Swirl or Caramel Swirl: During the last few minutes in the machine, pour in about ½ a cup of your favorite fudge, caramel or other topping.
- Rocky Road Ice Cream: Add 1 cup mini marshmallows, ½ cup chopped sliced or whole toasted almonds and ½ cup regular or mini chocolate chips
- Mix in by hand some of the following: Toasted, chopped almonds, marshmallows, crushed Oreos, peanut butter cups (mini or chopped up), toss in some hunks of edible cookie dough, mini or regular chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even malted milk powder (my favorite to sprinkle over the top of my ice cream!!!!)
Try all of my ice cream recipes
- Lemon Ice Cream
- Strawberry Gelato or Strawberry Shortcake No Churn Ice Cream
- Circus Animal Cookie Ice Cream (No Churn)
- Healthier Fried Ice Cream Cake
- Bailey’s Irish Cream Ice Cream Recipe
- Rose “No Churn” Ice Cream
- Cookie Dough Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Don’t forget the toppings! 29 Tempting Ice Cream Topping & Sauce Recipes
- Copycat Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade
Let me know what you mix into your old-fashioned homemade chocolate ice cream!?
Like this recipe?
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Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole milk I used organic
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar I use all natural organic cane sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream I used organic, aka whipping cream, or heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional Mix-Ins see notes
- pinch sea salt optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or whisk, stir together milk, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and sea salt until cocoa powder and sugar are dissolved and combined. About 2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream, whip or whisk well, another 2-3 minutes until thickened and no sugar granules can be seen.
- Refrigerate ice cream batter for 30 minutes or longer, prior to placing it in the ice cream freezer. By allowing it to hang out in the fridge, it will help it freeze faster, greatly improve the texture AND allows the cocoa powder to get to know the milk and the cream.
- Stir it again one last time — a nice gentle stir to ensure everything is mixed well. Then pour into your ice cream freezer and follow the directions on your ice cream machine. Mine takes about 20 minutes. Add in any desired mix-ins once to soft serve consistency.
- Ice cream straight from the machine is a soft serve texture. For firm, scoopable ice cream, scoop soft ice cream into a chilled (I put my container in the freezer while the ice cream maker is on) loaf pan or container. Press a piece of wax paper or parchment onto the ice cream, then cover and tuck in the back of your freezer. Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.The longer you let it hang out, the harder it will be, a couple of hours will yield firm on the edges, soft in the center. Freeze vernight or longer, firm, scoopable ice cream.
Notes
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream <== click for the recipe!
- Mocha Ice Cream | Add 1 teaspoon Espresso Powder during mixing. Mocha Almond Fudge, add chopped toasted almonds and some swirls of chocolate fudge.
- Mint Chocolate Ice Cream | mix in 1 teaspoon pure mint extract and maybe a handful of chopped Andes mints or chocolate chips.
- Dark Chocolate Ice Cream | Instead of regular cocoa powder use dark cocoa powder, or try this black cocoa powder for intense cocoa flavor.
- Fudge Swirl or Caramel Swirl | During the last few minutes in the machine, pour in about ½ a cup of your favorite fudge, caramel or other topping.
- Rocky Road Ice Cream | Add 1 cup mini marshmallows, ½ cup chopped sliced or whole toasted almonds and ½ cup regular or mini chocolate chips
- Hand mix in some of the following: Toasted, chopped almonds, marshmallows, crushed Oreos, peanut butter cups (mini or chopped up), toss in some hunks of edible cookie dough, mini or regular chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even malted milk powder (my favorite to sprinkle over the top of my ice cream!!!!)
- Be sure your freezer container is frozen solid, I usually put mine in the freezer for at least 24 hours before making this easy chocolate ice cream recipe.
- When mixing, make sure your cocoa powder and sugar dissolves completely, if not you will have gritty ice cream.
- To avoid ice crystals from forming on your ice cream, place a piece of wax or parchment paper and press it down on the top of the ice cream, then seal well. Airtight containers will be best, but you can also do this on store-bought ice cream as well.
Nutrition
Mary
This is the best ice cream recipe. Just wondering how much vanilla to use when making an old-fashioned vanilla fudge swirl ice cream?
Thank you so much Mary! I would suggest 1 tablespoon for a heavier vanilla taste. But at least 2 teaspoons!